Middleman Michel had commission pact with Dassault as well for IAF's Mirages

While Michel sued Dassault pleading that the role of his company was vital in them bagging the India deal, the court ruled the money should not be paid as the "Indian contract was not signed during the period of validity of the contract" between Michel and Dassault.

The role of the controversial businessman, who is known to keep a low profile, in the Italian VVIP chopper deal is explained in detail in the Italian investigation report. It says the kickbacks given to him were used to bribe public officials and political parties in India and Italy but does not give details.

Michel has been described as being extremely close to arrested Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe Orsi. The investigation alleges that Michel was paid commission for the chopper deal through fictitious contracts signed between the British unit of AgustaWestland "and some companies linked to him, in order to justify the total compensation of 30 million euros".

Italian investigators have also probed the nature of work AgustaWestland gave Michel to justify the high payments and concluded that the work was just a front to pay him a commission.

"The only activities which seem to have been performed, as per the contract awarded to Global Service FZE based in Dubai, are periodical reports - which were qualified as "poor" by the internal auditors - and a review of the Indian press, which he used to monthly forward to the English client," the investigation report says, adding that none of the agreed "important assignments" were ever preformed by Michel.

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